


Chum Buddy

by twisted_sheets



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-20
Updated: 2013-10-20
Packaged: 2017-12-29 23:11:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1011210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twisted_sheets/pseuds/twisted_sheets
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taiga appreciates Nigou. Really, he does!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chum Buddy

**Author's Note:**

> Written for BPS Challenge: No. 37 – Animals.

 

The first thing Tatsuya did when he saw Nigou (who was frolicking with Furihata and others at their impromptu celebration of their Winter Cup win in Taiga’s apartment) is to immediately turn to Taiga, one eyebrow raised, and ask, “Is that OK with you?”

“He’s not so bad,” Taiga had said with a shrug.

The second thing Tatsuya did, of course, because he is a _bastard_ , was to pick up Nigou and chase Taiga with him, Nigou barking joyously and enthusiastically as they ran around in circles in his (crowded!) apartment, much to the uproarious amusement of the others.

Taiga found it funny, too, really, if he looked at it right — big man, afraid of a tiny dog, that’s hilarious! Except sometimes that dog didn’t seem so tiny, and _he_ wasn’t so big, and he’s running again, legs aching and heart thumping hard in his chest, lungs ready to burst and he's nearly out of breath, and now the dog’s damn _big_ and barking furiously at him, gaining ground at every second, huge, sharp teeth bared and mouth frothing.

The same sharp teeth that bit into him so hard it nearly took a chunk out of his _ass_.

(He had to be hospitalized after that, stitches in his ass that itched like _hell_. He couldn’t sleep on his back or on his bitten side for _days_. He had to take several fucking rabies and anti-tetanus shots — the needles have been fucking huge, what the _fuck_.)

Fortunately enough for Taiga, that sort of attack doesn’t happen often nowadays. He grudgingly admits that’s probably because of his frequent exposure to Nigou’s presence (though this is not the sort of … therapy he’d advice to all fellow cynophobics).

But for most part Nigou’s a good dog, Taiga supposes, as he hasn’t tried to bite him or hurt him, but a bit annoying at times, with the looks he gives him when Taiga does something stupid (kinda like his owner and namesake, really).

Still, Taiga’s grateful, and tries to show it with occasional headpats and with gifts — like the one he’s giving now, for Nigou’s birthday.

It’s not … going over so well, though.

“Kagami-kun,” Kuroko says, voice low and deadpan, the moment he unwrapped Taiga’s present to Nigou, “Is this perhaps … wishful thinking on your part?”

“What? No! I just saw this somewhere in the Internet and thought it would be cute!”

“Kagamin, that’s a shark.” Momoi eyes warily the long, huge stuffed toy of a shark Taiga bought. Nigou’s approaching it carefully, sniffing it curiously, probably trying to determine if it’s a threat. “I don’t think sharks are supposed to be cute.”

Taiga opens his mouth to say something, but then Izuki asks, “What is it supposed to be anyway? Other than being a shark, I mean.” Nigou’s in front of the stuffed shark’s gaping mouth now, head tilted in askance, and then nudging it with his nose.

Ignoring Kuroko’s judgey stare, Taiga turns to Izuki and says, “It’s supposed to be a sleep–“

With a sudden, joyous bark, Nigou rushes into the shark’s gaping mouth, diving inside with his tail wagging happily. He disappears into the shark for a few seconds, and then reappears between its jaws, barking happily. He turns around inside the shark’s mouth before settling down, tail curled around him.

“–a sleeping bag,” Taiga finishes, but his answer is lost due to the loudness of Momoi, Coach, and Kise’s squeals of “That’s so cute!” He briefly closes his eyes to protect them from the sudden camera flashes.

“He looks like he’s being eaten,” Aomine says from behind Taiga.

Taiga jabs him hard on the side with his elbow. “Shut up. He likes it. It’s so much better than that duck muzzle you bought.”

“Hey, those are just fine! They are, aren’t they, Tetsu?”

“They are, Aomine-kun.” Taiga tries hard not to appear startled when Kuroko speaks from beside him — he really should be used to his partner’s stealthy habits. “Thank you for your gift, Kagami-kun. Nigou looks like he’ll enjoy it.”

“Yeah. Well. It’s … also big enough to accommodate both of you, so you could probably share it.” Taiga scratches his head, suddenly feeling awkward. “I’ll … help you carry it home. Sorry it’s a little big.”

“It’s all right, Kagami-kun. And thank you again.”

Taiga feels something wet nudge at his leg, and when he looks down, he finds Nigou staring up at him, tail wagging, eyes bright. Stubbornly tamping down the urge to shudder and run away screaming, he crouches down, and gives Nigou a very brief pat on the head.

“Yeah. You’re welcome.”

**Author's Note:**

> [This](http://i.imgur.com/mSIKgH4.jpg) is what the shark looks like. What Nigou probably looks like [inside](http://i.imgur.com/aJqCMys.jpg) the [shark](http://i.imgur.com/kSKn9nR.jpg) (last pic was from [The Daily Corgi](http://thedailycorgi.blogspot.com/2013/05/days-end-murray-and-shark.html)).
> 
> You can find the duck muzzle here: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/winkl/ot-668-030/


End file.
